It's Official: I have a 3rd grader

He was so darn excited yesterday, as it was his last day....and only a 1/2 day at that!~

He reminded me half a dozen times, that the next time I saw him, he would be a third grader.

Well, he got off that bus and started sobbing. (*shakes her head*)

He was going to miss everyone. :)

I was quite shocked as he hadn't seemed to make any "real" friends this year...except for another little boy that rides his bus.

*insert evil mom here* So I explained I could sign him up for summer school if he wanted.

YEAAAA...lol.... with a horrifed look (that quickly dried his tears I might add) he quickly shook his head and was clear about NOT wanting to do that.
end of subject. lol

Later that night...we celebrated his "graduation" by letting him pick what he wanted for dinner, wherever he wanted.

He chose Dominoes Pizza.

*rolls eyes and reminds self that this is HIS day not mine*

Then as we are eating...I ask him if he is full, and he states "mom, I havent eaten 3 pieces yet. I am a third grader now...I need to eat 3 pieces "
(sidenote: that his normal intake of pizza is normally right around 2-3 anyway)...
So I say "thats fine Bug...just dont get a bellyache"
What a turkey! He ate the 3 slices and then asked for dessert. lol...
thats my boy.

As far as Kayla goes...she is LOVING preschool. She has a best friend that she says she loves all the time and has to wear her "rockstar" shoes because Kendall likes them. It is too funny. She also like Lily..:) (she made me add that)...
I have had to pay each time to let her stay an extra hour so she can eat lunch with all her buddies as the "school" ends at 11:30..and thats when I normally get her for lunch and nap.
Now that its summer however...they still offer a program thats geared more towards arts and crafts and fun. So she is still in it Monday, Wed, and Fri..from 9-12:30.

She is quite the character.... a typical random question goes like this:
"mom...where did you get me? Did you get me from jesus? Or was I just lost and you found me?"
She also delights in passing gas and fist bumping her daddy.
MUCH to my dismay. *nice one honey..*

But she is mine and she ROCKS! :) I couldnt love her anymore than I already do!~

ONTO this summer....

We have So much planned.

Between Kings Dominion trips (we have already been the last 3 weekends in a row since we have season passes)...PA trips...Popo and Papa's visit and a DiSNEY trip..plus I would love to make a few DC trips as well, sinced Bug LOVEs museums!~we will be some busy buggers! :)

Anyway..here are a few pictures I took of my kids and Josh's. So it's COUSIN TIME!~..

This is Drama Mama and Lexi Poo...


My favorite shot of them all...


Another group shot..

The 3 goobs...:)

The BIGGEST goob..

LOVE this boy!~

Future blackmail photo...*evil grin*..hey, he did this to HIMSELF! :)

*side note..he saw this picture a few days later and smacks his head and goes "oh no! what was I thinking?!? fairy wings~ MOM!!"

I was more looking at the rainbow lei sweetie...but....


OH MY SON!~ You truly are a delight!~

I am so blessed!~ :) Love to you all~

Missing: Sanity ...if found..please return immedietly.

O.k where to begin. I am so stressed, confused, exasperated, upset, frustrated and downright ready to scream.

My WONDERFUL, BRIGHT, SWEET son is not adjusting well to this new school in VA.

I don't know what it is.

He did WONDERFUL in kindergarten and GREAT in 1st grade when we were in NC. He had plenty of friends and really seemed to THRIVE there....even being the youngest kid in the class.

BUT..

This year...he has turned from this happy, outgoing, confident little boy....to this solemn, UN confident, lonely little boy.

WHAT HAPPENED!?!?!?!?

I keep getting phone calls from his 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Taylor...saying that Sam isn't "connected" in class (her words not mine) She says that he hasn't made any friends and that even when the other teachers and students try to engage him on the playground he shuts down. He has also taken to saying things like "I don't like myself.."I hate me"....and "I'm not good enough"

OK Dr Phil....what the hell? I have been a DIE HARD watcher of your parenting shows, and up to this point have TOTALLY agreed with everything...

but apparently....

you CAN praise your child to much...you CAN love them too much. You CAN over-do it with "way to go's" so much that they actually expect it from everyone and NEED it to move forward.

Sam has had NOTHING but POSITIVE encouragement and words from us...even when he gets into trouble. Don't get me wrong...I get upset! But I try to let them know its the behavior I dont agree with and THATS why I'm upset.

Yeah...Well I think my "atta boy's" and "way to go's" and "thats so awesome's" must have been poured on a little too thickly. Because he has no CONFIDENCE in anything he does now. The teachers say he has to double check with them about everything (he does this at home so I KNOW this drives poor Mrs Taylor crazy!!) Even when you say it's ok..he will ask you 3 more times!! She says that she asks the students to do things, and Sam will sit there or ask what he is supposed to do instead of picking up clues by looking around at the other students. If she gives more that 3 instructions he follows the 1st one and then sits there. During our last conversation (last week) she even mentioned ADD. WHAT!?!?! I'm NO expert by any means...but REALLY!?!?! She says he loses focus and seems "disconnected" in class. Then she also goes on to say that he is he is by NO means a behavioural problem.... but that he just doesn't seems to grasp things. She thinks it has to do with his age.

Bless Mrs Taylors heart because I can imagine how hard it must be to have 22 other students in your class, and to constantly have the SAME student need to be reassured or helped...I am trying SO hard to see things from her point of view. BUT...(and I KNOW all you teachers will hate me or at the very least disagree with me) in my opinion...that's part of the job, and instead of focusing on all the negative that is happening why not focus on the positive (like the fact that he reads at a 4th grade level and can spell like a champ..or has the memory of an elephant) and work towards a SOLUTION.

To me...she is just getting more and more frustrated and Sam is suffering for it. I know that she cant coddle him (and I would NEVER ask her to...OR to take time away from any of the other students)...and I know he has to learn to deal with different issues and people....BUT HE JUST TURNED 7 YEARS OLD!!!!!

He is in a NEW AREA...NEW SCHOOL, NEW NEIGHBORHOOD, NEW TEACHER, NEW STUDENTS, NEW way of doing things....NEW EVERYTHING!!! She has been teaching for 20 years....and according to her....she has never come across a student like Sam.

How is that supposed to make me feel? He gets his work done..he doesnt cause problems...but yet....UGH! THERE'S my frustration!!!

If any of you personally KNOW Sam then you know what a sensitive boy he is...and when he gets into trouble (ESPECIALLY in front of people) he takes it VERY hard. She has mentioned several times that she has had to talk to him in front of the class (not for things he did wrong but to ask him why he isn't doing what the other students are..or calling him out for being shy)...and I have tried to tell her that with sam that is exactly the WRONG ( I can't say this enough!) thing to do. She doesnt get it.

Now..

I GET that she has 21 other student to think about..

I GET that she cant stop EVERY time Sam has a question or "issue"

I GET that she is getting frustrated with my son

I GET that she is getting frustrated with me.

My question in where is the solution?

Now please forgive me if I jump around a bit here but I am just trying to get everything I have had pent up for the last 3 months out. AND I AM SOOOO FRUSTRATED!

After getting off the phone with the guidance counselor ( a few minutes ago) from the school. I am REALLY leaning towards pulling him out of 2nd grade. She also happens to be the group leader in a friendship therapy class I enrolled him in a few weeks into the year when I noticed he wasnt "clicking" with anyone. She said he as grown leaps and bounds in that class, socializing with the other students and participating in the role plays they do..even picking the friends to do them with.......but she said, after talking to his reading teacher and homeroom teacher, and observing him at recess in the playground...he lacks self confidence and may struggle even more in 3rd grade next year since it is harder, they expect more from the students and there are SOL test's to take. He DOES fine in all his school work area's (according to his teacher's) Math is good, SS is good, Music is good, He DOES have issues with reading the instructions on the paper and following them from there. But if his school work is fine...then WHAT IS GOING ON WITH HIM!?!?

I just DONT know what to do.. Is this something he'll outgrow? I thought by enrolling him in Karate (which he starts today) it would build up his self confidence and focus, and then I signed him up for cub scouts too...so he can gain even MORE confidence, learn new things, and make new friends. Do I wait it out and see if it helps? Do I pull him out now and save the frustration? Do I let him work it out? WHAT?!?!

Being a mom is SO hard! Wish someone had warned me! :) Or at least wrote a DETAILED manual! lol

So.....that all being said....I know how sensitive he is and I have already broached the subject of maybe doing 2nd grade next year...and he got REALLY PHYSICALLY upset. Saying he wasnt good enough and no one likes him! *shakes her head* I pray he really doesn't feel this way!

Then after thinking about it... thought maybe I should pull him out of 2nd NOW and put him back into 1st NOW so he can make his friends (1st graders are more open to a new student) ...I may try and broach it from a point of view that he could maybe help some of the other 1st graders since he has already done that work and not only did it but did AWESOME in 1st grade (THATS why I'm having such a hard time with my decision..it just doesn't make any sense for him to back track the way he has been doing..from this bright, happy little man...to what he is today. Is it the school? The teacher? Me? Him? *sigh*

So far, later this week I am meeting with Mrs Williams the principal, and his guidance counselor soon. See what the options are.

Where is my sweet, happy little boy from NC?

I want him back.

McKayla's 1st Day of School!!~

I CAN NOT believe it! (say in the Little Einsteins voice)

My "baby" is no longer a baby! She is OFFICIALLY a Pre-Schooler!!!

She has been waiting for this day since we went and checked out schools around our area back in Nov. I, however, can probably wait another, oh, 4-5 years! :)

It's funny.....but it seems SO much HARDER this time around then HERE..when it was Sam's 1st day!!

I re-read that post...and I guess it was just as hard. But there... I at least had Kayla as my distraction...NOW...I go home to an empty house~ Can I handle it? Stay tuned to find out! :)

Anyway..here are a few pictures from her 1st day!~

Getting ready to leave....she is getting very impatient...

She is telling me here "I have told you 3 times mom...let's go"

Walking in...giving me the thumbs up! :)....

Standing at the front door.....

Inside....she won't even look at me she is so excited!!...

"You can leave now Mom" She says about 25 times (NOT exaggerating!!)

I only get this nice picture because I promise her it is the last one and I am leaving after if she gives me a nice smile!~ AMAZING!

Her classroom! (or half of it~ :))

LOVE this girl!!!

P.S. She is gone from 9-11:30....

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

School's OUT for SUMMER!

Bug's 1st grade name tag....

I can't believe Wed was the last day of school.

Here it is friday, and I get up and panic for a second because I think we are running late...but lo and behold we have NOTHING planned! :)

IT'S SUMMER!!

Well I take that back in a BIG way....we have LOTS planned for this summer.

We are heading to VA the 14th and will be gone until the 26th or so...in which during that time we will head up to Ocean City New Jersey for our annual family vacation! :) Last year was a BLAST!

Then we come back to NC to PACK the house up....

head BACK to VA (leaving the stuff) possibly the 4th of july weekend to find a home....

then hopefully move in will be Aug 1st, and we will just have to make one last trip to get the stuff thats already packed. That way Brad has to do little as possible, since he works SOOO hard.

THEN...after we move in Aug, my parents from Hawaii (I am lucky and have 2 sets ya know!! :) ) are visiting the 14th-27th...in which we will hit...Busch Gardens, Kings Dominion, Great Wolf Lodge, Baltimore Aquarium, Front Royal Rafting, Hershey Park, and MORE! Man I get tired THINKING about all we are going to do!!!

ANYWAY....my point of this post was Sam.

I am SOOO proud of him! He has grown So much this year, and I know that 1st grade has been somewhat of a challenge for him. He is only 6 and a lot of his calssmates were 7 and 8. But he rose to the challenge and finished the year at the top of his class!:) Here is his report card and a FEW of the awards he won! (you may have to click on the picture to enlarge it to read)

AND HIS CERTIFICATES:

Accelerated Reader!!

Another reader award (takes after me, and LOVES to read) Look how many pages he read!!!!

He got the Terrific Trojan award for going above and beyond in helping his fellow calssmates out! I am SO proud! Way to go son!

And on top of all that...his book it :)...

Where is the time going I tell ya!

1st Grade Play....

Bug had his 1st grade play yesterday....

He was a violin! And although they did not use costumes.....I still say Bug was the cutest violin there! :) Of course I tend to be bias! :)

Here is my boy in action!....

He is so proud of himself...and so am I!!!


Here is a video of him saying his line....his voice is the loudest one! :)....


Look, I'm a violin....well sorta...


It was somewhat of a musical...here he is singing and doing what he does best....


Meanwhile here are Drama Mama and her friend Sophia from across the street. These 2 were so crazy! THATS why the camera shakes the whole time during the video...*rolls her eyes*


WAY TO GO BUG!! I AM SOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!!!

I am the luckiest mom in the world to have this boy!

Bug's 1st grade Halloween Parade!

He was SOOOO excited about this. Almost like last year...in kindergarten, and he was Spider-man...this year...he went back and forth between buzz lightyear and a pirate. In the end the pirate won out. And I have to admit....he is the cutest pirate I have ever seen! :)

Here he is right before the bus came to get him this morning....

And at the parade....(note queen kaykay waving to her subjects! LOL)...

SHE was as excited about going to the parade as Bug was......

In some other news.....

Drama Mama has found a new love.

(Lord help me)

Her boots! She found these things and hasn't taken them off since (and it's been 3 days)...she wears them to outside, inside, right after her bath, to bed even. *sigh*

Her headed into Bug's school....

P.S. Miss you daddy...can't wait to surprise the kids tomorrow, when we get to see you!!! BIG HUGS and sloppy kisses! :) :P

1st day of 1st Grade...

As you can tell he is VERY excited to go...I think mostly to show off his "speed racer" shirt and shoes....(he picked them out himself and had a hard time deciding between this shirt and a Super Mario shirt....in then end he went with the shirt that matched his shoes...LOL...now he says "I'm a full speed racer and no one can stop me right mom?")


*sigh* I just can't believe it!


I am a ball of mixed emotions right now! I am so excited for him. SUPER proud. very nervous. kinda nostalgic. kinda anxious. hmmmmmm... and a few more I can think of, but won't bore you with.
(walking into school)


I am sad too. Because he is a "boy" now. Not my little boy. Now a true..."dont coddle him" kinda little man. hehehe Did mention that I am so proud??


Did you know he actually asked me to DROP him off. "Mom, I know where it is, and I am in 1st grade now so I can do it"

"so....you don't want me to come with you to your classroom?"

"no thanks...I can do it"

long pause.... small voice...(mine)

"but what if I wanted to go with you....would that be o.k?"

he rolls his eyes...like SERIOUSLY ROLLED HIS EYES at me.

"o.k mom"

"thanks Bug....tomorrow you can do it all by yourself.....I just want to walk with you on your first morning"

*shakes her head*


Ah well......(:P)....I better let my little bird fly....(:D)


A bonus video on my little drama mama....enjoy!~


TTFN!~

Lots O' Stuff....

This week has been CRAZY!

First off...you know drama mama has been ill. Well, I had to take her BACK in to the ped. on fri because she was *still* running a temp of 103.8 and had things coming out both ends (sorry for the mental)...

He said...it was obvious she was not digesting any of the amoxocillian since she was still running a temp, (for 4 days now) and still throwing up. So he checked her over....said she had strep throat now ( in addition to the rectal)...and a stomach virus all rolled into one little "nasty ball of sickness".

So in short...he switched up her meds to omnicef..a stronger antibiotic that is gentler on the stomach....but she got sick again on Sunday Morning (as I was heading out the door with Bug to church...she was staying home with daddy)...fun fun...

but this morning seems to be a lot more perkier. yay! :)

***side note- as I was going to publish this...Bug's school called...he is doubled over in pain and crying....so I'm off to get his poor little butt. *sighs*


****BAD MOM AND TOTAL EMBARRASSMENT AWARD HERE****

It was such a crazy week that when I called the ped on fri, i thought it had only been 2 days that she had been running the fever and been sick. As I was talking to the advice nurse to find out if I should bring her in, she asks me how long it has been going on. I tell her since tues or wed. She says she needs to know, so I check her medicine bottle since it was filled the day I brought her in the first time. I check it and it said 6/2/08..which was MONDAY....so she had been running this temp for 4 days (they recommend you bring them in if they run a temp longer than 48 hrs)....my days had blurred together...I didn't know which end was up. I felt terrible. But honestly....I was running on about 2 hrs sleep a night at that point since drama mama was up throwing up or needing a diaper change and BATH every 2 hours or less. So I felt like a complete sh*t when I told her the date and she says "oh my....since she was seen monday and its friday , it's been over 48 hrs....I would highly recommend you bring her in"

*prays the floor would open up and swallow her*

Well, THAT'S why I called....I was pretty much going to bring her in anyway.....but thanks for the added bonus of feeling like crap on top of the exhaustion.

nice.

Anyway....by sat morning *embarrasing moment here* I was/had reverted back to being 5.

I was so exhausted that my body just wouldn't cooperate...it wouldn't listen to my mind (which was pretty much in *i need to sleep mode* ) and move.....well.....if you are a mom... THAT DOESN'T MATTER.

kids still need things.

Brad was out with Cody laying the last of the grass in the back, and kayla needed to go potty (for like the 12th time already with 11 false alarms)..bug wanted cereal and chocolate milk...

mommy wanted

S l e e p.

I threw a tantrum.

an honest to goodness...all out...throw yourself down...kick....bury my head in my arms and wail....kind.

The kids looked on in horror.

I look up....tears smudged down my face....

and bug is sitting next to me patting my back.

"you o.k mom" he asked me

TOTALLY embarrassed and ashamed, I look at him...

"yes bug...mommy is just sooo tired"

I move my tantrum (seriously!) into my bedroom so I can have my pity party in peace.

FINALLY brad comes in and I get some sleep (o.k I'll admit this was AFTER i had stomped outside 3-4 times..hands on hips..only to stand there and GLARE daggers at him)....it is ONLY then (after the nap) I realize how foolish I acted.

*blushes*...why doesn't that floor open up? Any time now please!

On to good news...

we got our grass in!!

BEFORE'S (if you go back to sept 07..you will see it was all rock)

AFTER'S









Bug had his last award ceremony for kindergarten on wed (6/4) here on some pictures/video from that!..

His certificate....


Waiting to be called up....


Bug and his best buddy Nicholas...


So proud!!


Drama Mama enjoying being at Bug's school...



Next we have my van....I spent most of Sunday morning (after church) cleaning it out...washing it..and FINALLY putting my decals on it that I bought a LONG time ago! :) I LOVE IT!


And LASTLY...the garden update..

cucumbers...


cantaloupe...


watermelons...


tomato's


Lots O' Beans!....


MISC STUFF....

Drama Mama and I relaxing....


Bug enjoying the HOT weather...


Bug and Brad having fun off the boat....


This is for Popo....I thought she wuld get such a kick out of her...I hope it downloaded the whole thing...grrr to blogger.






And th-th-th-th-th-THAT's ALL FOLKS!~